By
David Gerges
Last updated at 11:01 PM on 1st March 2012
Whilst the Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge all marked St.David’s Day with a spot of tea in London, Prince Charles was out trying his hand at paintballing.
And he proved an excellent marksman, hitting the target repeatedly with just one hand.
The Prince met soldiers at their barracks during a ceremonial presentation in Hounslow, west London.
On strike: The Prince proved an excellent shot hitting the target repeatedly
Charles, colonel in chief of the Welsh Guards, wore full service dress as he held a private meeting with former Welsh Guards in the officers’ mess, before presenting ceremonial leeks to several soldiers.
Later he told the soldiers that he had once been dragged on a paintballing trip by sons William and Harry. Then, smiling, he picked up a gun and began blasting away at five different targets.
Amongst those being honoured was Afghanistan veteran Dale Leach who lost his leg, fractured his skull and back and suffered a collapsed lung when his Jackal vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Nad-e-Ali in 2009.
Leach spoke highly of his time with Prince Charles. He said: ‘The Prince asked how I was getting on, how the leg was and what the treatment was like.
Expert: Charles delighted the guards with his skills following a presentation to troops ahead of their deployment to Afghanistan
‘The medal means everything to me and it was a real privilege getting it from the Prince.’
Drummer Leach, who is going to retrain as a mechanic, was rescued from the bomb attack by his Company Sergeant Major, Jonathan Jenkinson, who said: ‘It’s mixed emotions for me today.
‘Obviously I wish it never happened and you want all your men to come home as a unit.
‘But it is good to see Drummer Leach doing so well. If it wasn’t for the rest of the lads, he wouldn’t be here right now.’
The Prince also had words of praise for the troops with four-hundred Welsh Guards set to deploy to Afghanistan in the next few weeks.
High salute: The Prince of Wales during the presentation to the 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards
During an address he said: ‘I know you will be brilliant as usual in the way you operate in that part of the world.
‘Many of you have been of course before, many of you have been to Iraq before and the frequency with which you are required to deploy seems to be ever more increasing.’
He added: ‘I know so much depends on all of you and the quality of your leadership under very difficult, very challenging circumstances.
‘I also can’t imagine, as some of you are getting older, how you manage to cart around so much kit as you do in the heat and with everything else.
‘You are, if I may say so, an enormous credit to all of us but in particularly to the people of Wales.
‘You will make an enormous difference in terms of investment in the future and it’s thanks to people like yourselves,
‘I hope, that in time to come the Afghan people will have cause to thank you and be grateful for your extraordinary contribution. Thank you so much, good luck and do take care.’
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“And he proved an excellent marksman, hitting the target repeatedly with just one hand.” Aren’t the Royals just brilliant!! Is there anything this family can’t do? Wait – I know. Listen to anyone criticise them or ask them to justify their role in an interview.
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“The Prince met soldiers at their cavalry barracks during a ceremonial presentation in Hounslow, west London”.
The Welsh Guards live in a “cavalry” barracks, do they? Iinteresting!
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HRH is the colonel in chief of the Welsh Guards. it was not just for medals. notice the leeks in the caps. It’s St. David’s Day.
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